Baseball game



Mar. 6, 1923.

L. KLINKER BASEBALL GAME Filed Feb. 25, 1921 Invenior Lmenceminker 4 sheets-sheet 1 Mar. 6, 1923.

1.. KLINKER BASEBALL GAME Filed Feb. 25, 1921 4 sheets-sheet 2 lnyenzor Law/"5 22208 Klein/ er Mar. 6, 1923. 1,447,310

L. KLlNKER BASEBALL GAME Filed Feb. 25, 1921 4 sheets-sheet 5 '4 lawrence fi in/wr Patented Mar. i923.

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' LAWRENGE KLINKER, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

BASEBALL GAME.

Application filed February 23,1921. Serial No. 447,102.

To all'wh'om, it may concern:

Be it known that l, LAWRENCE humans,

a citizen of the United States, residing at @ne of the objects of the present invention is to provide a game board adapted for the playing of base ball, and particularly to provide a game of this character which is not altogether agame of chance, but one requiring both thought and skill, and which will afford considerable amusement to the players. i i

Another object of the invention is to provide a game board whichwill permit the game of base ball to be simulateifl with considerable accuracy, and'wherein the player, by the rolling of a ball, may make bases, homeruns, strikes, balls, fouls etc, and in factany of the plays of a regular game.

Another object of the invention is to )rovide a game of the character described w ich maybe played by two players, ahd which permits one player to counteract or defeatthe plays made by the other player.

Further objects will hereinafter appear.

The invention consists of the parts and the construction, combination-and arrangement ct parts as hereinafter more fully described and claimed, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in which l ig. 1 is a plan view of the game board.

Fig. 2 is another plan view showing the upper hoard removedv and disclosing a part of the interior mechanism.

Fig. 3 two intermediate, oppositely inclined runways removed. 9 v

13 i is a side elevation in section taken on line 4-4 Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a cross section on line 5 -5, Fig. 4.

6 is a front end view oi? Fig. 1.

The apparatus by which the present game is played consists oi a box-like structure embodying side sections 2, end sections 3, a front receiving pocket a, and an inclined bottom section 5. Forming a cover for the box-like structure is a game board 6, and

formed in said board is aplurality of openings, three. at one end of the table marked 1st, 2nd and 3rd, and four openings in the is another plan view showing the opposite end of the table which are marked home-run 1, and 3. Formed at the end of the board 6, beyond the home run opening, is a series of pockets generally indicated at 7, said pockets being provided for the reception of balls which are not intercepted by the openings just specified, and

which when played represent such plays as fouls, balls and strikes. Disposed inteor of the box-like structure, intermediate L116 bottom section 5 and the top board 6, is a pair of oppositely inclined runways B and S). The runway 8 receives a ball hereinafter to be known as the fputout ball, and which is inserted through any one of the openings marked 1st, 2nd and 3rd. The

j oppositely inclined runway 9 conversely receives any ball which is intercepted by the openings marked home-run l, 2 and 3, and this runway also receives the balls which are intercepted or caughtin the pockets 7 as will hereinafter be described.

In playing the game there are two players one representing each team, and these players will of course alternately play against earh other, one representing the team at bat, and the other the field team. These players stand in front of the main pocket indicated at 4. The player at bat is provided with a suitable number of small balls, while the field player is provided with one single putout ball, which is preferably larger and heavier than the small balls employed by theplayer at hat. The player at bat starts playing by rolling one f the small balls from the point indicated at 10. He rolls the hall in the direction of arrow a, and it he is skilled and at the same time lucky, it is possible that the ball .maybe intercepted byv one oi the openings and it will in that instance enter one ot' the pockets indicated at 7. Assun'iing that the first ball rolled by the player at bat falls into the opening marked pocket indicated at 4c.

flange 19.

air.- M i.

1. If this should happen' it is obvious that the ball will drop through the opening andfall on the inclined runway 9 disposed directly below the. same. A ball dropping through the opening marked 1 strikes the runway 9 at the point indicated at" 11'. A ball dropping through the opening marked 2, strikes at the point indicated at 12. A ball dropping through the opening marked 3; strikes at the point indicated at 13, while a ball dropping through the home-run opening strikes at the point indicated at 1 1. Any ball striking the inclined table, at the points indicated at 11, 12 and 13, will enter a tortuous passage, generally indicated at 15-, and will run down this passage in the direction of arrow 6, and it will, unless the opposing or held player is quick inaction, dropfthrough an opening indicatedat 16. This opening deposits the ball on the lower end of the inclined runway 8, from where it" runs down the incline in the direction of arrow 0; being guided during its downward travel by guide plat-cs1? which direct the ball to a stop pin 18 and a movable guide The only method of defeating this play, or preventing the ball from dropping through the opening 16, is for the field player to drop his putout ball through the opening marked 1st, that is he drops the ball through this opening it the ball played by the man at bat happens to drop through the opening marked 1, which represents first base. If the field player is quick and drops the putout ball through the opening marked 1st, it is obvious that this ball will .strike the upper end of the inclined runway 8 and will roll down said runway along aguide plate 20'; the ball finally leaving the runway and dropping into a chute 21, which is pivotally supported on the bottom section 5 as indicated at 22.

Now if the patent ball reaches the chute 21, before the ball played by the man at bat reaches the opening 1 ,it is obvious that the field players'ball will depress the chute 21. Ifthis happens a bridging plate carried by the chute 21, and indicated at 23, will move into alignment with the opening 116 and form a runway thereacross. mans'at bat'ball will then roll across the bridging plate and finally drop through an opening 2 1', where it will reach the inclined bottom section 5 and pass downwardly through a discharge runway leading into a This pocket repre- 'sents outs as shown in Fig. 6 and shows that the field-player struck out the man at the bat. Now suppose that the man at the bat rolls another ball and that it drops into the second base opening indicated by the numeral 2. Further suppose that the field player is a little slow in placing the putout ball in the opening marked 2nd, inthat case the ,putout ball will be too slow to reach The the depressible chute 21 and the ball'rolled by the man at bat will then have a chance to pass through the opening 16 and reach the stop members 18 and19 where it is temporarily arrested. This means that the man at bat .has reached second base.

Now suppose that a third ball is rolled and that it drops through the home-run opening. In that instance it will strike the inclined runway 9 at the point indicated at 14, from where it will roll down the side of the runway9'and drop into a short chute 25 carried hya pivotally mounted lever 26. On striking this chute it will depress the lever 26 and raise the guide plate 19 supported: thereby. The ball whichreached second base; and which 'was temporarily held at this place, willfbe released and the home-run ball is also released gjboth balls striking the bottom section 5'rwhere they will roll; down the inclined portion of the same or a runway formed thereon which leads into a pocket marked 4S and indicated by the word fruns, See ig; TWO ball-5 will in that instance be d posited in the runs po'ckeu showing that the man atbat has made two runs. l here is no-way or putting out'th'e man; at it he makes a home-run, nor is there any wayof intercepting any balls, whether one or more, which may be resting on ba'ses'as these are released when the guide plate 19 is raised, and will be, deposited in' th'e sani'e runway which leads to the runs pocket, that-is the balls releasedfby a home-runplay will all run down the common runway, generally indicated bythe" arrow and will deposit in the pocket 4 The putout hall, which is the only ball usedbythe'field player, will always roll into the chute 21 and will from this chute roll into the pocket indicated at 41, so that it is returned to the ficld player who must use itover and over again for each play. Outs will land 'in the pocket marked {P and the halls entering the foul, ball, and strike pockets will enter the pocket at a that isany ballswhich happen to enter the foul, ball'or strikepockets are automatically released and returned to the pocket 4- by the putout ball whether itis; dropped through the 1st, Qn'dor 3rd opening. lh hen dropped through any of these openings; it lands on the inclined runway 8 and will not pass oh? this runway before striking the end of a iv0ta11y mount-edl'ever This lever is connected with string 31, orv similar connection, the opposite endot which is attached to a rocking bottom member 32. This rocking bottom member is dis posed below'the foul, ball and strike pockets, and any balls deposited in said "pockets are thus automatically released every time the putout ball is played, as it always trips this lever before it is returned to the player.

During one inning it is possible that the ine'mio,

"men at bet make oneftvto or three bese's. -Such bells. WillQ-bereteined the stoppin 18 end the movable guide plete'i9 and will'be held in this position until the endot theinnin unless a home-run play.

r is made, Now it is possiblethet the men at betniey not make a homeaun, and if 't is is the case it is obvious that means" iiiust be provided for releesin the balls on base Whentheinningpis ovei'. This is accomplished byemploying' a, bellfl ci'zink lever.

This leifler isprovided with a handle 'Which projects through a slot 4:1 formekl in:

the tier; bo'ei cl 5 end as previously stated is only employed for the purpose of releasing any bells WhiChWill-be reteinecl-by the'plete l9 'an dthe stop member ISWhen the end ofzininning has been reached. When it is desired to releasethese bells, it isonl'ynecesszirytocgmsptlle upper end of: the handle and. tOl'OCk it intheclirection of the arrow; see 1. This'cn'usesthe end of the lever indicated at i2toengage the kiwi-26; and thereby impart ii. rocking movement 'to the senie,-whicl iwiil i'aise the plate 19 enrl'i e lease the bells, retained thereby. Thes. belie will of course enter the runwey e. es they are letlint'o "the shine a. gums Tfand-Will fill the runsmasle in eeeh inning" and the.

i beretl eirele such as shot vii, an

finally I deposit inthe pocket 4.

To render it comparatively ens to maintain the score enclvisibly intlicaite the same, new provided a series of indicators such asfslioivn at 50, 5l,"encl 52. Theseinclicetors ezich cooperate with f :i gg retlueted p by turn my; the lnclica-toils 1 5,13 'possibleto score number of innings phyecl; l oi" instance the field ple-yer'iney use the inclicntolins alicetecl at toscoie his runs, the men at bat the 111(l1C2L-t01 shown at 51 32.16. the lest indicator shown at 52, may be ployetl for the purpose OfITBCOETllnQtiiQ in i The score or standing of the game s in VlSllOljt indicated at elltiines, an ob "ionsIeclvo.ntege en-fl will probably be the source of ei'nusenieht to onlookersl, etc.

One of thefi'eatures of the present invention isv to eliminate the so culled game of chance as much as possible, tha is theniun ntb ait tvill play a better game if a certain iin ount of siillis employed, similarly the fieltlei or opposing ple yei'fwill pley 2- hetter gains if he thinks fest enclpleces the putouthell quickly in the particular y one;- ing requiretlfi With this object in; view runways"connected with the several open- I i are made in such '2. mennentlia-t the time eieinent inyol vetl varies according to the play mucle. For instance if e home-run is niatle by the men at bat, the gzime is so iii-ranged"thetjythe lionie-i'ini cennot stopped, "noi' my balls which have ieuchecl base, u ncl winch will, he

rel asset. thereby. The 1 "opposing player,

' ing 3 has such 1, distance to travel clown the I run, thst'is the upper surface sl .howwer, has .theohence to put out halls reaching first, second 01 i'hi "(these through the openings 1, 2 end 3, anti perticulei'ly a. ball'entering the third-base opening es this has 9. further distance to travel through the tortuous runway indicated by ziiroiv Z1 than the ball which enters the opening. See points indicated (it 12, 11 and 18, thesis a bell entering through the opentortuous runway that the time element is slightly greater than when the hell enters through the first base opening; this time element being suilicieiit to permit the field player to drop his put-out hall and reach the t clepi'essihle chute 21 before the other hell 'reec'hes'the opening. 16. If this happens, the pleyecl hall will obviously not reuchbuse and an out will be registered.

i Tofui'ther illustrete the time element in- 'volved reference isfmetle to Fig. 2., wherein theopenings ine 'kecllst and SM "*1"? 'iIldlCil-til. v The putout hell is cle verto the iCunWe'yS through seiclopenin s, Tlhe distance between the opening inzii'ketl 1st incl the discharge point of the runwzi is the shortest. The distance between the dia ohei'ge' and. the opening inei' ltetl' End is is littlegreetei', and the (listencehetween the opening marked 3rclencl the disehui'ge point is still greetei'. This'increese oi distsnce ve fies the time element and to this extent thechsnce of defeating the play mail? by the bet. To assist the man at bat to a oertsiin extent, prefer to slightly curve the end oi the boni'tl 6 that p :tionwhioh tests with the ipenings merited l, 2 3%, and he itly con-- cave esshoWn in Fig 5 ELlKlttS such creztses the chances of pla ing the the lioineiun opening.

its

'lhe' game h'OllTl here shown may be e structed its sine-ll or :53 large es (lash Certain geine hounds 1112i} possibi e .lzmli' es ase hillercl table, and others ee uin he so smell that they 111243 be pl on top of ai ordinary table. In certain instances particularly when tables. we employed. I prefe to visiblyindicate number of helis on best; or in other Words the nu nbei. of hulls yet cl by the stop in :nit .he plate 1.9 it this ohwill be seen r-zould assume the positions and 72; lt'is possible. that the men hat whenplaying may during one inning oh inede when one hel. "caches base. Asiiniler visible 1nd1cat1on will he made if two or more hells reachhsse as the severel'contacts 70 71 endTQere connected with theres Jeec l v l trze lights. I

v While certain features of the present invention ere more or less specifically illus: 'trated', I .wish llLUIldQl'SlZOOd that, various chengesin form and proportion may he re sorted to within the scope of the appended claims similarly that. the materials and tin. ishof; the several parts employed they 3. such as the experiencesndjudgnient of the nienufecturer may dictate orvziwrng: uses may demand. 7

3V errii Fig. 52 of the drztivings it ciently lon to retain three halls which shown at 70 rein three hoses If this is the case thetthree places indicates '70,; 71 and -72 would he H 'filledrand ii the noon et out should still make:

another bzise it is obvious that there would. he no room to retain the some, and it would therefore roll as the table 8 into the runway, l); which would direct it to the runs pocket. The man at bet would in thetinst-once gain e run and might gain one or more runsin .this manner. v l

Having thus descrl'hedmy mventron, whet claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent isr I i 11A game apparatus comprising a game hearth-Ya. hottorn board, a pair of oppositely end vertically inclined'overlapping boards positioned intermediate the gamehoard and the bottom hoard adaptedto-receive,oippos ing playing elements, tortuous runwaysformed on the upper surface of each ofthc inclined hoards, said. game board having a plurality of openings therein communicat- J lngwith said runways, thesaid playing elementsadaipted to be manipulated on 'the game hoard' to pass through said openings j-onto said runways. i

elined; boards 55 i 2'. A game apparatus comprising engume loo-eidhavin 'e series-of 0 eniiws 't'orrned' therein inclined J bottom hoard, a pair oitlinclinedyhoe ds positioned between said Lid m8 hoard end said bottoin'hoerd, said inbeing vertically and oppositely inclined,'und having overlapping ends, tortuous runways formed it on theupper surface otsa-id inclined boards, and playing elements which may be manipulated onthe ganielooerd to pass through the openings thereinfon totherunweys in opposition to each other by which their path of travel is controlled.- 7 i j it genie apparatus comprising a game boardhzwing oi -plurality of openings formed therein representing. dlfi'erent plays of the not different 'pleysof the-genie" he guideplate 19 which ct operates with the stop pin 18 is justj sutlu eer-ere genie; an inclined botto n hoard, e peir of, n erinediete oppositelyend vertically 1nchned "it runways formed-thereon which communi;

cute at tillfielellipoints with the. openings in the genie hoarcl,-pleying elements which .inoy be manipulated on the game board to pass through said openings ontojthe filth,

ways by which vtheir path or travel is controlled jend "means operated by en -.opposing playing elenientfor directingsaid' playing elements to. dififerent destinations represent 4-. ll geinerepperetus conoprising El genie hoard hevingn playing surface tormed thereoin end l mingv e plurality of openings representing different plays of the garnet formed jthereinfen inclined bottom-hoard, u seriesott' olfreo esenting difierentypltrys of the game,

a] pair of intermediate oppositely and Vertically {incl red [intercommunicating hoards, tortuous runways" formed thereon in cornuiunieetion with said;openingsple ying elements .adeptedto he manipulatedto pass through ssid 'openings onto said runways 1 pockets formed at one end there tercommunic ting hoards, tortuous whichtheir puth of travel may be controlled, and means fordirectingsaid ele nzents'ei ter'lealvi'ng seidrunways into one of the said pockets,

r llgenie epperttuscomprising a game board having two sets .of' openings formed therein representing certain 'playsof the gaine -e plurality of playing elementswhich y be munipulafted onfs'aid playing hoard P 6. A game. epperotuscomprisingplaying pass through-said openings, e lootto n elements, a playingsurfece having two sets of apertures formed therein representing different, plays otthe game, means formed beneath the gamehoardrepresenting the three losses of the game, "means associated with oneof said sets ofepertures whereby playing elements pessedthrough the apertures will be normally directedtosaid bases,

means associated .witlithe secondse't of apertures adapted to direct" a, playing element passed through the lustnamed apertures to ward the peth ot travel of-the element .passedthrough the first set of apertures v and means interposed in said path oftr'avel Lad-7,310

adapted to be actuated by ele nentrpassed through the second namedapertures to divert the playing element passed tln'oughthe.

first named apertures to a li'OSltlOllIGlJllW senting out of play. 1 i

T. A game apparatus comprising a game board having twosets of apertures formed therein representing different plays of the game, said game board having a slightly whereby playing elements passing there through will be delivered to a point in the path or the first named playing element; and means actuated by thesecond played playing element for interrupting said path'and open-v ing a second course which the first played element may pursue. I

8. In a game apparatus, (if the character described the combination with the game board and the oppositely and vertically in clined intercommunicating boards disposed belowthe same of three openings formed at the front end of the game board, a common runway formed on the intermediate inclined board d sposed below the same, a lever pivotally mountedthereon and having an arm disposed crosswise of the runway, a pin rality of pockets formed at the rear end of the game boarcha movable bottom section for said pockets, and a connection between the lever and the movable bottom section 9. In a game apparatusof the character described the combination with the game board and the oppositely and vertically in clined boards disposed below thesame, of a plurality of openings formed at the rear end of the game board, a tortuous passage tormed on the inclined board disposed below the same communicating with said openings, an openmg formed in said inclined board at the end of said tortuous passage, and gravity operated means for opening and closing said opening. 1

10. In a game apparatus of the character described the combination with the game board oppositely and vertically inclined boards disposed below the same, said game board having a plurality of openings formed at the rear end of a tortuous passage-formedon the inclined board disposed below the same communicating with said openings, an opening] formed in said inclined board at the end of said tortuous passage, a pivotally mounted member disposed adjacent the other intermediate inclined board, a runway on said member, a runway on theflboard communicating, therewith, and a bridging plate carried by said pivotally mounted member adapted to' open and close the opening at the end of thetortuous passage.

11'. In a game apparatus of the character described a game board, a plurality of pockets formed at the rear end thereof a movable bottom section for said pockets, a plurality of pockets formed at the front end of the game board and below the same,

an inclined bottom. section communicating with the front and rear pockets, a pan of intermediate oppositely inclined boards disposed between the game board and the bottom section, openinesformed in the game board communicating with the respective intermediate boards and the upper ends there of, runways on said boards communicating with the openings, and runways on the bottom section communicating with the run ways on the oppositely inclined intermediate boards and with ti e front and rear pockets.

12. In a game apparatusof the character described the combination with the game board and two oppositely inclined boards disposed below the same, of a tortuous pastformed on the uppermost of said in termediate boards, a plurality of openings formed in the game boardat the rear end thereoi communicating with the upper end of the tortuous passage and at different points thereof, a lever disposed on one side of the game board, a runway on said uppermost board terminating above the free end 01"- said lever, an opening in said board at the lower end of the tortuous runway, a second runway formed on the other inclined board communicating with said openin a- 1 at the end of said runway, and a guide plate carried by the lever one side of said runway. a game apparatus of the character stop pin movable forming described the combination with the game board and two oppositely inclined boards disposed below the same, of atortuous passage formed on the uppermost of said intermedi ate boards, a plurality of openings formed in thegame board at the rear end thereof communicating with the upper end of the tortuous passage and at different points thereof, a l ver disposed on one side of the game board, a runway on said uppermost board terminating above the free end of said lever, an opening in saidboard at the lower end of the tortouous runway, a second runway formed on the other inclined board communicating with said opening, a stop pin at the end of said runway, a movable guide plate carried by the lever forming one side of said runway, and manually operated means for raising and lowering said plate.

14. In a game apparatus of the character described the combination with the. game board and two oppositely inclined boards disposed below the same, of a tortuous pas sage formed on the uppermost of said intermediate boards, a plurality of openings formed in the game board at the rear .end

thereof communicating with the upper end second runway formed on the other inclined board communicating with said opening, a stop pin at the end of said runway, a mov able guide plate carried by the lever fornr ing one side of saidrunway, manually operated means for raising and lowering said plate, and means cooperating with the second named inclined board for opening and closing the-opening at the end of the tortuous passage.

15. A game apparatus-comprising a game board provided with openings, oppositely inclined intercommunicating boards beneath the same, andinclined bottom board hav ing a plurality of pockets at one end communicating with the inclined boards, a plurality of playing elements adapted to be manipulated so .as to pass through the said openings, traverse the inclined boards and lodge in one of the said pockets, and means comprisingan opposing playing element for deflecting the first mentioned playing ele ment from its normal path of travel.

16. A. game apparatus comprising a game board provided with openings,oppositely inclined intercommunicating boards beneath the same, playing elements adapted to pass through certain openingsin the game board and traverse one of the inclined boards,

playing element adapted to traverse the other inclined boardand operate means for intercepting the first mentioned element, and pockets adapted to receive the elements after leaving the inclined boards.

17. Agame apparatus comprising a game board having openings therein, a pair of oppositely .inclined overlapping boards beneath the same, a bottom-Aboard provided LAWRENCE KLINKER. 

